Car-coupling



(No M0de1.)-

J. F. ZEIGLBR.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 389,827. Patented se t. 18, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN FRANKLIN ZEIGLER, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389.827,-dated September 18, 1888.

Application filed May ,26, 1888. Serial No. 275,147. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN FRANKLIN ZEIG- LER, ofSt. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic car-couplings; and it consists in the combination of the draw-head, vertical guides which rise above its top, the coupling-pin provided with a block or slide, a pivoted lever which projects atitslower end beyond thefront draw-head, and which supports the slide and the coupling-pin in a raised position, and devices for raising the slide and pin from their top or side of the car, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide an automatic car-coupling by means of which the cars couple when they run together, and thus prevent all necessity of the brakeman having to Venture between them when they run together.

Figure l is a front elevation of a car-coupling embodying my invention.' Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan View.

A represents the draw-head, which has an inclined bottom, B, so as to correspond to the shape of the coupling-link which is used to connect the cars together. Rising above the top of this draw-head are two uprights, 0, one

of which is grooved upon its inner side, and

the other is slotted from top to bottom, so as to act as guides to the vertical movement of the block D, which is secured to the upper end of the coupling-pin E. The projection upon one end of the block B is long enough to project entirely through the upright 0, so that when the block has been raised upward as far as the stops F will allow the upper end of the pivoted lever G catches under this projecting endand holds the sliding block D and the pin' raised position. This lever G is made from a fl'at metallic plate and is placed in a slot ordpening which is made in the front of thedraw head and to one side of the opening in it. The pivot upon which this lever G turns is placed above its center, and the lower end of the lever is turned backward, as shown, so as to cause its lower front edge to project a suitable distance in advance of the front end of the draw-head. When the cars run together, this projecting edge of the lever G first strikes against the opposing draw-head, and then it is forced backward, so that the upper end of the lever is forced forward from under the projection on the end of the sliding block D,when

the block and pin instantly drop from their own gravity, and thus couple the cars together.

In order to dispense with all necessity for the brakeman having to venture between the cars in order to couple, the bent levers H are pivoted upon opposite sides of the end of the car and their outer ends project downward, where they can be readily grasped by the brakeman. The inner ends of these bent rods H extend forward and catch under the sliding block D, so that when the outer ends of the rods are operated they will raise the slide and couplingpin in the guide (I, so that the upper end of the lever G will catch under the projecting end of the sliding block 1:] and hold the pin in a raised position. Also extending from the top of the car is a rod, I, which has its lower end turned forward, so as to also catch under the sliding block, and thus enable the block and coupling-pin to be raised from the top of the' car. By operating these rods H I the pin can be set ready for coupling or the cars can be uncoupled, as may be desired. The couplinglink is made triangular in shape, as shown, and is provided with a slot-,through which the pin drops when the cars run together.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- The combination of the draw-head, the vertically-grooved standards 0 rising therefrom, the sliding block D, having the pin secured to it and provided with a projection upon one end which extends through one of the guides, the pivoted lever G, which has its'lower end to project beyond the front of the draw-head when the coupling-pin is raised, and the operating bent rods or levers for raising the block and pin, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN FRANKLIN ZEIGLER.

Witnesses:

ELDRED E. CARTER, R. H. BROWN. 

